


Something so wholesome about you

by commanderofcandles



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, brief appearance for Opal, mention of tenzin too, mentions of Bolin and Mako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29113437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commanderofcandles/pseuds/commanderofcandles
Summary: Tenzin asks Asami to mentor a student for the semester. The girl's name is Korra, Asami has seen her once or twice around campus. She's not sure whether Korra is going to be her worst nightmare, or the best thing to happen to her.
Relationships: Korra & Asami Sato, Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 1
Kudos: 87





	Something so wholesome about you

**Author's Note:**

> basically something to get me back to writing after months (or is it years?) of a much too long break  
> i'm rusty, it shows, but i hope you will still enjoy this  
> as always, english is not my first language so do tell if there's something i need to edit

Asami is the best engineering student at Republic City University. It's not even bragging, it's just true. Maybe she's even the best student RCU ever had. She works hard for what she wants, and never gives up. So, when Asami starts mentoring Korra in biology, she figues it will be a piece of cake - and extra credits never hurt.

What Asami did not know before meeting her mentee, is that Korra is very good at avoiding things she does not like. And Korra does not like studying.

The first few weeks, Asami couldn’t even greet the girl without having Korra rushing off with some lame excuse, promising to reschedule.

Asami figures she needs to be smart about this. She thinks she’s set the perfect trap for Korra. Asami asks Bolin - her mentee’s best friend - to ask Korra to meet for coffee. So now, Asami’s waiting in Bolin’s stead, waiting for the flash of blue eyes she barely had time to see the weeks before.

Korra does show up. And she’s not happy at being tricked. She does sit down across from Asami and agrees to a study session.

Asami soon discovers that Korra is so… she doesn’t have words for it.

”How much longer til I can get out of here?”

Well, Asami doesn’t have words for Korra, but sometimes she just wants to strangle the girl.

They do get to study - Korra having the attention span of a five year old is _not_ making it easy for Asami. At the end of this first session, Korra even admits it was not as tedious as she thought it was going to be. It’s not an apology for brushing off Asami for three weeks straight, but it’s definitely something.

They schedule another session, and Asami feels reassured. Maybe her new mentee won’t be so bad now.

A week later, Asami already can’t believe how naive she’s been for thinking it would be easy with Korra.

The girl has stood her up twice - apologized only once - and promised to be there the next time.

She does show up the following Monday, and Asami tries to be polite but she really hopes this mentoring thing isn’t gonna last - Korra is frustrating, headstrong and incredibly obnoxious when she wants to be.

Something changes two sessions later, though. Korra’s zoning out again, and apparently finds doodling dogs on her sketchbook much more interesting than computational biology - not that Asami can really blame her.

After Korra reaches her fifth doodle of a dog that looks _identical_ to the other four anyway, Asami tries something different.

”You know, it’s not exactly my dream to be stuck with you on a Saturday afternoon either.”

It at least snaps Korra’s attention back to Asami. She has the decency to look contrite.

”Look, I know Tenzin put you up to this. We can just call it quits and I’ll cover for you.”

Korra’s offer seems genuine. Asami never quits, though. That’s not who she is.

”I don’t want to lie to Tenzin. He asked me to mentor you, so I will.”

Korra sighs dejectedly and stares at her doodles.

Asami follows her gaze.

”Is that your dog?”

Seems like it’s the right question to ask, because Korra smiles and focuses back on Asami.

”Yeah. Her name’s Naga. I had to leave her with my parents, down in the South Pole, but I miss her.”

Asami silently thanks Naga - maybe the dog’s her chance at getting through to Korra.

”Do you have a picture?”

Korra beams at her, pulling out her phone.

”Yeah.”

They don’t study at all for the rest of the afternoon. But the next times they meet, Korra is much more focused, but also more… relaxed?

Asami keeps learning new things about Korra’s life, and she enjoys every little thing the girl gives her. She discovers this other side of her mentee.

Korra can be sweet, caring and so very funny.

And now that the study sessions are actually very efficient, Asami regrets ever saying yes to mentoring Korra - the irony is not lost on her. Because she figures having a crush on her mentee is not in the book of guidelines for mentors.

Asami is also a very rational person. Korra’s not her first crush, and she’s not in high school anymore. No reason for it to be a big deal. The semester’s coming to an end the next month, and then Asami won’t have any obligations towards Korra. Either her crush will go away on its own, or it’s gonna last and Asami will simply ask her out at the end the semester.

That was without counting on Korra’s ability to throw every plan Asami makes out the window.

It’s a Thursday night, and Korra’s particularly restless. They’re at Korra’s apartment - the girl is apparently too loud to study at the library. Asami’s talking about kinetic coordination when-

”Want a beer?”

Asami is not even offended anymore. She’s used to Korra’s random interruptions by now.

She just shakes her head and goes back to her explanations when-

”I’m gonna get a beer.”

Korra stands up, trots to her fridge and comes back with two beers. She places one in front of Asami and opens the other one.

The blue eyed girl sits back on the couch and finally looks up to see Asami’s exasperated stare. It doesn’t faze her in the slightest. She simply takes a sip of beer before she smirks and tilts her head.

”You look really cute with those glasses when you’re angry.” She points to Asami’s face. ”Your frown just makes them slip slightly down your nose and you keep pushing them back up every five seconds.” Asami has to resist the urge to do just that.

She’s not blushing furiously - she is, but she figures pretending it’s not happening is the best course of action. And her exasperation does not instantly vanish at hearing Korra’s words - it does.

Korra’s smirk turns softer, and she grabs the beer she placed on the table beside Asami, opens it and offers it to her with an expectant look.

”Is it your peace offering?”

Korra’s eyes glint with mischief - something Asami noticed months ago was a recurring thing for Korra and she has grown quite fond of it.

”Is it working?”

Asami grabs the beer but says, ”No.”

Korra grins and Asami’s instincts tell her to flee because it’s so earnest and bright - and she needs to leave before she does something stupid like kissing that smile away.

Korra clinks their bottle together.

”To the best biology mentor I’ve ever had.”

Asami raises her brow as Korra takes a sip.

”How many have you had?”

”Three. Well, four, counting you. They all quit after two weeks.”

”Wow.”

If Asami feels proud for being the successful one of the four, it doesn’t have to mean anything. She won’t let a stupid crush get in the way.

”Yeah, Tenzin had flair when he picked you.”

If Asami feels her heart swell at the not-even-a-compliment, it still doesn’t have to mean anything.

She clears her throat and takes a sip of beer.

”Do you have plans tomorrow night?”

Asami knows she’s making her first mistake as a mentor when she says, ”No.”

//

Korra’s invitation is simple. A night out in the town. Asami tries to not be too disappointed when Korra says Bolin, Mako and Opal will be there - and fails miserably.

So, on Friday night, she meets everyone at this new club - she sees the name, Avatar, apparently already a big hit in town. When Korra tells Asami how good she looks, the latter shuts down the fuzzy feeling in her stomach.

Asami barely registers her indistinct mumbling in return. She thinks it ressembles something like ‘you look snazzy yourself’ and-

_Really Asami? Snazzy? How old are you?_

The incident - Asami considers the way everyone else is smirking at her after her awkward comment a pretty big incident - is quickly discarded when they step into the club.

Bolin offers to get everyone drinks and Mako goes to the bar with him. Opal, Asami and Korra struggle to find a table for a while, before they finally spot one.

Asami quickly starts having fun. She’s at her second drink and welcomes the familiar buzz of the alcohol inside her brain. At one point, Opal and Korra excuse themselves to go to the bathroom, and Asami is surprised at how much she enjoys the company of Mako and Bolin. A while later, Asami spots Korra and Opal lingering at the bar, leaning towards each other and apparently in deep conversation. Curious - and not jealous at all - Asami goes to meet them.

”Hey, what are you two plotting?”

Korra startles and Opal flashes Asami a knowing smile - even though Asami has no idea what this is about, and maybe it does make her a tiny bit jealous, like she’s being left out of a great inside joke.

”Korra has something she wants to ask you,” Opal says with a lilt, her stupid - okay, too mean Asami - smile still on her face.

Asami turns to Korra expectantly but the other girl is too busy glaring daggers at Opal to notice. Her blue eyes finally find Asami’s green ones, turning much softer.

”Yeah, dance with me.”

Before Asami can even think of an answer, she’s being dragged to the dance floor and trying not to stumble at Korra’s fast pace - how does she move so fast with dozens of people around them, Asami has no idea.

They reach the dance floor and Asami laughs at Korra’s silly dance moves, soon joining her in the dorkiest choreography of the century.

Asami is very aware of the glares they both receive from the other dancers around them - but she also, well, doesn’t give a flying fuck, because Korra’s laughing so loud it’s infectious and it makes Asami feel like she’s the funniest person in the world.

After pushing around too many people, they get out of the dance floor and go back to the bar.

Asami’s panting, breathless. She turns to Korra.

”I’ll go get some water. Want some?”

Korra nods and Asami holds up a finger, grabbing the bartender’s attention. Water glass in hand, they start making their way back to the group of friends before Korra’s hand grabs her wrist, pulling them to a stop.

”Wanna get some air? It’s getting really crowed here.”

Asami frowns briefly at Korra’s nervous intake of breath, before she nods and follows the other girl outside.

Korra leads her to the other side of the street, leaning against the back of a nearby bench.

She stays quiet for a while, fidgeting with her hands before her gaze settles back on Asami’s green eyes.

”That’s not what Opal was talking about, earlier.”

”You mean you didn’t really want to look stupid on the dance floor with me while making everyone in the club hate us?”

Asami’s smile is warm, hoping it will ease some of Korra’s nerves.

She doesn’t think it’s very effective.

”No, I did.” Korra lets out a - adorable - snort. ”That was really fun. But it wasn’t what I wanted to ask you in the first place.”

Asami waits for Korra to continue - it’s one of the many quirks she’s learned about her. When Korra is nervous about something, she needs quiet and some time before confiding in someone.

Korra’s sharp intake of breath brings Asami’s attention back to her.

”I was telling Opal how badly I wanted to ask you out.” Asami hopes the surprise on her face won’t be misinterpreted. ”I’ve wanted to for months, really. But I wasn’t sure how you’d react, being my mentor and me sometimes being a bit of a brat.”

Asami resists the urge to snort at the last bit.

Korra looks bashfully at the floor. Asami wishes she would look at her, because she’s wearing the biggest smile on her face and her eyes are gleaming, but Korra would apparently rather study her shoes.

When Korra continues to stare at her feet, Asami tilts the girl’s chin up, meeting conflicted blue eyes.

She knows Korra’s an action kind of girl, so Asami acts. She leans down, grazing at Korra’s lips, giving Korra time to back away if she wants to.

Instead, Korra closes the - barely existing - gap between them and kisses Asami’s lips, soft and gentle.

It doesn’t last long, and soon they’re just staring at each other. Asami goes in for another kiss before she ruins this with awkward words. And that’s another mistake she makes as a mentor, but it’s hard to regret it when she feels Korra’s tongue against her lips, her sweet lavender scent filling her senses.

Asami pulls away, pressing her forehead to Korra. She guesses Korra’s silly grin only matches her own. Asami’s skin and lips are tingling, both from the kiss and the feeling of Korra’s slow breathing against her face.

”Best mentor ever.”

Asami laughs loudly, letting her head fall backwards. She smiles at Korra before offering her arm.

”Consider this my official resignation.”

Korra laughs back, loops her arm through Asami’s and they step back into the club.

No, Asami doesn’t quit. But for the right reasons, she thinks it’s all worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
